Renee Tenison
Renee Tenison (born December 2, 1968 in Caldwell, Idaho) is an African-American Model and Actress. She's best known for having posed nude in Playboy magazine as well as becoming the first African-American to be named the magazine's Playmate of the Year for 1990. That same year, she auditioned to become the very first permanent African-American model on The Price is Right. Early Life & Playboy Career Native of Caldwell, Idaho. Renee was born into a big family, she has three older brothers and an identical twin sister, Rosie, who also works as a model. Renee was one of very few African-American women to have posed nude in Playboy as she first appeared in the November 1989 issue of the popular men's magazine and the following year, in 1990, she made history by becoming the very first African-American to be named Playmate of the Year. Renee's twin sister, Rosie on the other hand, was never a playmate but they did pose together in the August 2002 issue of the magazine. ''Price is Right'' Audition In the spring of 1990, the same year she was named Playboy's Playmate of the Year, Renee learned that the television Game Show The Price is Right, during it's 18th season on the air, began holding auditions to feature their very first PERMANENT African-American model to appear on the series alongside Janice Pennington, Dian Parkinson and Holly Hallstrom. Despite the auditions, a woman named Harriet, actually holds the distinction of being the show's very first African-American model to appear on the series as she appeared occasionally on the some of the first episodes of the syndicated nighttime version of Price with host Dennis James and on the daytime version in the mid-1980s, a woman named Pat was the first African-American to appear as a guest model during Holly Hallstrom's absence. Already having made history by becoming the very first African-American to be named the Playboy Playmate of the Year, Renee wanted to go two-for-two as she scored an on-camera audition to become The Price is Right's very first PERMANENT African-American Barker's Beauty (tryout debut airdate unknown), appearing for a number of shows during it's 18th season with more frequent appearances the following season. It was rumored that the show's producers narrowed the search down to Renee and Kathleen Bradley, who made her on-camera debut during the final week of season 18 & returning for the first week of the 19th season, as the two ladies went back and forth taping at least 25-30 shows each and come December, the producers ultimately chose Kathleen as the show's very first PERMANENT African-American model to appear regularly on the series as host Bob Barker made the announcement on the show's annual Christmas episode (airdate: December 24, 1990). Almost 11 years later, in January 2001, Renee's twin sister, Rosie would also audition to become one of two newest (and the second permanent African-American) Barker's Beauties, permanently replacing Kathleen and longtime 28-year veteran model Janice Pennington as they (along with several of the show's staff members) were both unjustifiably dismissed from the series as their unannounced final appearances aired on December 13, 2000. Later Career & Other TV Appearances The following year later after appearing as a tryout Barker's Beauty on The Price is Right, Renee appeared alongside some of her fellow Playboy playmates as they all appeared on Family Feud with host Ray Combs, in a special week of shows titled "Centerfolds of the 1980s vs Centerfolds of the 70s & 90s". She appeared on the 70s & 90s team with fellow playmate Lisa Matthews (April 1990), Daina House (January 1976), Peggy McIntaggart (January 1990) and Debra Jo Fondren (Playmate of the Year 1978) as they faced off against the team of 80s centerfolds Dona Spier (March 1984), Luann Lee (January 1987), Kimberly MacArthur (January 1982), Rebecca Ferratti (June 1986) and Pia Reyes (November 1988). In 1994, she competed on another Family Feud special, during original host Richard Dawson's short-lived return, in a special week of shows titled Playmates vs. Hunks: Battle of the Sexes as she competed alongside fellow Playboy centerfolds Reyes (November 1988), Jenny McCarthy (Playmate of the Year, 1994) and TNPiR model Julie Lynn Cialini (February 1994) She has also modeled lingerie for Fredrick's of Hollywood and so has her twin sister, Rosie and they are two of several former or future Barker's Beauties to have modeled for the popular retailer. Others Barker's Beauties to have modeled lingerie for Fredrick's of Hollywood were Cynthia Brimhall, Nikki Ziering, Alicia Rickter, Jennifer Wood, Cindy Margolis, and TNPIR model Lisa Stahl Sullivan. In 2001 (the same year her sister Rosie auditioned to become one of two newest Barker's Beauties on The Price is Right), Renee was selected as one of the ten sexiest women of the year by the readers of Black Men magazine. The following year, she appeared alongside some of her other fellow Playboy centerfolds as they appeared on a special Playboy Playmates episode of the NBC Primetime quiz show The Weakest Link (hosted by Anne Robinson, famous for hosting the British version), she was the fifth contestant eliminated from the game. Aside from all her modeling credentials, Renee has also landed various guest starring roles on various TV shows have included Married With Children (alongside her sister Rosie), Malcolm & Eddie, Family Matters, Living Single, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Steve Harvey Show, and The Parkers. Today, Renee and Rosie both continue modeling as well as occasionally appearing in TV and movies. Most recently, in 2017, Renee, at 49 years of age, duplicated her Playmate of the Year cover along with her fellow playmates Kimberley Conrad, Candace Collins, Lisa Matthews, Cathy St. George, Charlotte Kemp, and Monique St. Pierre nearly three decades on. Gallery (Renee as a tryout model on The Price is Right in 1990) renee002.jpg renee009.jpg renee013.jpg renee007.jpg renee008.jpg renee046.jpg renee019.jpg renee020.jpg renee022.jpg renee032.jpg renee033.jpg renee034.jpg renee065.jpg renee067.jpg renee093.jpg renee096.jpg renee100.jpg renee102.jpg renee103.jpg renee105.jpg renee110.jpg renee113.jpg renee115.jpg renee081.jpg|With Dian Parkinson renee083.jpg renee087.jpg renee089.jpg (Renee's twin sister Rosie as a tryout model in 2001) rosie002.jpg rosie004.jpg rosie006.jpg rosie009.jpg rosie015.jpg rosie018.jpg Category:Models Category:People Category:Playboy Models Category:Model Tryouts